The fourth Republic of China-Central America Summit was held Thursday, with a sideline ceremony for the signing of Taiwan's first free-trade agreement, with Panama. President Chen Shui-bian's (
In contrast with the challenges Chen has faced in the domestic arena, he has shown impressive progress in foreign affairs. He has made three overseas visits and declared his determination to uphold commitments made by his predecessors to Taipei's allies. Not only were foreign ties stengthened, but during transit stops in the US, Chen also made public appearances and met with prominent political figures, helping to solidify US-Taiwan relations.
Even more importantly, through his overseas visits and large-scale diplomatic campaigns, Chen has pressured the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the nation's embassies to take a more proactive approach to relations with other countries. On his trips Chen has been able to see for himself the fruits of the country's foreign-aid projects as well as gaining an understanding of where mistakes have been made.
In order to maintain foreign ties in the face of Beijing's obstructionism, Taiwan often offers financial aid to its allies. Even though this practice has been condemned by lawmakers as "dollar diplomacy," the efforts to help allies in South and Central America, and Africa develop agricultural industries and improve infrastructure have had a positive impact. These efforts also supplement the campaign by developed democracies to stabilize international order. As Vice President Annette Lu (
On the other hand, the government cannot continue to provide money, equipment and technological resources without paying attention to how these are used. Many developing countries are not sufficiently democratized and foreign-aid money ends up lining the pockets of a handful of politicians. Naturally, the opposition parties and democratic reformers in these countries will blame the governments that provided the funds.
Chen has been gradually changing all this. The government now relies less on individual aid packages and more on strengthening interactions on a collective basis. The goal is for Taiwan to eventually become a member of these collectives, furthering its links with international economic organizations in the future. The government is also trying to ensure that all foreign aid projects are transparent, to reduce the risk of criticism both at home and abroad. It is also encouraging the private sector, along with overseas Taiwanese, to assist the nation's diplomatic personnel in their work.
Day Sheng-tung (
Former president Lee Teng-hui (
Two sets of economic data released last week by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) have drawn mixed reactions from the public: One on the nation’s economic performance in the first quarter of the year and the other on Taiwan’s household wealth distribution in 2021. GDP growth for the first quarter was faster than expected, at 6.51 percent year-on-year, an acceleration from the previous quarter’s 4.93 percent and higher than the agency’s February estimate of 5.92 percent. It was also the highest growth since the second quarter of 2021, when the economy expanded 8.07 percent, DGBAS data showed. The growth
In the intricate ballet of geopolitics, names signify more than mere identification: They embody history, culture and sovereignty. The recent decision by China to refer to Arunachal Pradesh as “Tsang Nan” or South Tibet, and to rename Tibet as “Xizang,” is a strategic move that extends beyond cartography into the realm of diplomatic signaling. This op-ed explores the implications of these actions and India’s potential response. Names are potent symbols in international relations, encapsulating the essence of a nation’s stance on territorial disputes. China’s choice to rename regions within Indian territory is not merely a linguistic exercise, but a symbolic assertion
More than seven months into the armed conflict in Gaza, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take “immediate and effective measures” to protect Palestinians in Gaza from the risk of genocide following a case brought by South Africa regarding Israel’s breaches of the 1948 Genocide Convention. The international community, including Amnesty International, called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties to prevent further loss of civilian lives and to ensure access to life-saving aid. Several protests have been organized around the world, including at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and many other universities in the US.
Every day since Oct. 7 last year, the world has watched an unprecedented wave of violence rain down on Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories — more than 200 days of constant suffering and death in Gaza with just a seven-day pause. Many of us in the American expatriate community in Taiwan have been watching this tragedy unfold in horror. We know we are implicated with every US-made “dumb” bomb dropped on a civilian target and by the diplomatic cover our government gives to the Israeli government, which has only gotten more extreme with such impunity. Meantime, multicultural coalitions of US